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Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Egg hoppers with pol sambol

Egg hoppers with pol sambol are a Sri Lankan recipe for 4 people, ready in 55 minutes, medium difficulty, for €1.40 per person. They're bowl shaped rice flour and coconut milk crepes with an egg cooked right in the center, served with a spicy shredded coconut sambol. Success comes down to the wrist motion that spreads the batter up the sides of the pan to form the bowl with its lacy, crisp edge.

Tonight it's egg hoppers from Sri Lanka, bowl shaped crepes with an egg cooked right in the center, served with a spicy pol sambol.

Egg hoppers with pol sambol
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

A hopper is a crepe that isn't quite a crepe. Thin and crisp at the edges, soft and almost spongy in the middle thanks to the coconut milk and yeast, it forms a little bowl that's perfect for holding an egg cooked just right, set white and a still runny yolk. Alongside it, the pol sambol brings heat, lime freshness, and the crunch of freshly grated coconut.

Mon Chou suggests this dish for an evening when you have a bit of extra time, or a weekend when you want to surprise your family with something different from the usual weeknight rotation. Kids love cracking their own egg into the center of their hopper, and the sambol's heat can be adjusted to taste right at the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Rice flour 250 g
  • Coconut milk 25 cl
  • Active dry yeastoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Shredded coconut 100 g
  • Chili powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red onion 1
  • Lime 1

Allergens Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the rice flour, yeast, sugar, a pinch of salt, coconut milk, and warm water into a smooth, pourable batter, then let it rest. 30 min

    The batter should show a few bubbles on the surface.

  2. Make the pol sambol by mixing the shredded coconut, chopped red onion, chili powder, lime juice, and salt. 5 min

    Mash it a bit with your fingers so the flavors combine.

  3. Lightly oil a small round bottomed pan or small nonstick pan and heat it up. 2 min

    Use a small 15 cm pan, ideal for getting a hopper of the right size.

  4. Pour in half a ladle of batter, swirl the pan to spread the batter up the sides, crack an egg into the center, and cover. 4 min

    Season the egg with a pinch of salt and pepper.

  5. Cook covered until the white is set and the edges are golden, then serve with the pol sambol. 8 min

    Lift the hopper out with a thin spatula, the center stays soft while the edge stays crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Really let the batter rest the full 30 minutes, fermentation is what gives it that airy texture and characteristic little bubbles.
  • Heat your small pan well before pouring the first ladle, a hopper that sticks at the start tends to tear when you try to lift it out.
  • Make the pol sambol while the batter rests, it tastes even better after a few minutes of the flavors mingling together.

The variations

  • Swap the chili powder for finely chopped fresh chili if you like your sambol brighter and more fragrant.
  • For an egg free version, just pour the batter and cook the hopper plain, you get a crisp bowl to fill with whatever you like.
  • For kids who don't like heat, serve the sambol on the side and offer a simple squeeze of lime on the plain hopper instead.

What to serve it with

  • A spiced black tea like chai
  • Mango chutney on the side
  • A fresh cucumber salad

Storage

The hopper batter keeps for 24 hours in the fridge in a sealed container, handy if you want to prep ahead. The pol sambol keeps for 2 days in the fridge, but cooked hoppers are best eaten right away, they lose their crispness as they cool.

Questions about this dish

Do you need a special pan for hoppers?

No, a small 15 cm nonstick pan with rounded sides works well. The traditional curved pan just makes it a little easier to spread the batter up the sides.

Can you substitute the rice flour?

Rice flour is key to the hopper's texture and flavor, there isn't really a good swap for it. Mixed gluten free flours won't give you the same crisp result.

Can you make the pol sambol ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. The flavors actually blend even better after a few hours of resting.

How do you know the egg is cooked right?

The white should be fully set and opaque, while the yolk stays slightly runny in the center. Covering the pan lets the heat cook the top of the egg without needing to flip it.

How long does it take to make egg hoppers with pol sambol?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in egg hoppers with pol sambol?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does egg hoppers with pol sambol cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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